Want to charge your batteries faster? How about flat to full in 30 seconds?An Israeli start-up called StoreDot is attempting to save your precious time with its nano-crystal - based smartphone battery. But its still a prototype, and does not full capacity either. And they haven't shrunk the tech so its small enough to fit inside the phone. But the startup reckons the speedy recharging battery technology could be on the market within 3 years.
So, what are these nano-crystals? They're molecules produced by StoreDot that are comprised of chemically synthesized bio-organic peptide (amino acids) molecules. These molecules are tiny, which helps improve electrode capacitance and electrolyte performance. The reason it takes so long to charge batteries is because you're literally reversing the exact chemical reaction that caused the battery to die in the first place. These small molecules speed up the process by an incredible amount.
This idea has been attempted before, but those attempts generally used heavy metals (extremely toxic). StoreDot used bio-organic raw materials which are safe both to people and the environment, and the sheer abundance of organic material on Earth makes them more affordable. StoreDot CEO and founder Doron Myersdorf says,"In essence, we have developed a new generation of electrodes with new materials - we call it MFE - Multi Function Electrode. On one side it acts like a super capacitor (with very fast charging), and on the other is like a lithium electrode (with slow discharge). The electrolyte is modified with our nano-crystal in order to make the multi-function electrode more effective"
StoreDot's original focus for the nano-crystals was memory chips - which could write faster thn taditional falsh memory. It has also demoed an image sensor using the technology. But it's now shifted its focus to what it sees as the two most promising near-term routes to commercialize the technology: fast charging smartphone batteries, and cadmium-free displays - with its nano-crystal tech offering a cheaper and non-toxic alternative to cadmium in screens.
StoreDot is seeking patents, with mass production planned for late 2016. So, presuming it works, this means a lot more than just less waiting time. It could also change the feasibility of using electric car. We could charge our cars in less than 30 seconds, that would be great!
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